February 8, 2024
Youngsuk ‘YS’ Chi, Chairman of Elsevier and Director of Corporate Affairs for RELX, Elected Chair, AAP Board of Directors
The Association of American Publishers announced today that its Directors have elected Youngsuk ‘YS’ Chi as Chair of the Board for the 2024-2025 term. Mr. Chi, who is Chairman of Elsevier and Director of Corporate Affairs for the RELX Group, has served on the AAP Board since 2007 and was Board Chair from 2016 to 2017.
Incoming AAP Board Chair Youngsuk ‘YS’ Chi is Chairman of Elsevier and Director of Corporate Affairs for the RELX Group.
The Board also elected Brian Murray, President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers, to the position of Vice Chair. Mr. Murray has served on the AAP Board since 2008 and was Board Chair from 2015-2016. Jeremy North, Managing Director, Books, Taylor & Francis, who has served on the Board since 2015, was re-elected to as Treasurer. Julia Reidhead, Chairman and President of W. W. Norton and Company will remain a Board officer as she transitions from Chair to Immediate Past Chair.
“The Board has elected a veteran leader at an unprecedented moment for the industry,” commented Maria A. Pallante, President and CEO, AAP. “YS is deeply respected by his peers and brings decades of experience in both global publishing and global policy to the Board room. We are excited to have him at the helm as we advocate for publishing houses of all sizes on IP, technology policies, and freedom of expression.”
“We are also indebted to outgoing Chair Julia Reidhead for her tireless leadership during 2023,” said Ms. Pallante. “Julia’s tenure was marked by a series of extraordinary challenges as well as an impressive chain of victories, including a decisive win in the case against the Internet Archive, and historic triumphs in suits challenging book bans in Texas and Arkansas.”
“I am honored to assume the role of Chairman and build on AAP’s tradition of effective leadership,” commented YS Chi. “The AAP’s crucial initiatives, from copyright protection to freedom of expression, align with my commitment to an independent and dynamic publishing industry. I look forward to collaborating with the Board and AAP’s talented team to navigate the challenges facing our industry, preserve foundational American principles, and contribute to the healthy development of our society.”
About Youngsuk ‘YS’ Chi
Youngsuk ‘YS’ Chi is a leader in the publishing, education, and information solutions industries. As Chairman of Elsevier, he works directly with key stakeholders in government, academia, and industry to support over 30 million scientists, students, and health information professionals. In his role as Director of Corporate Affairs for RELX, Elsevier’s parent company, he is responsible for government affairs, corporate communications, and corporate responsibility across all four of the group’s market segments.
YS has served as President of the International Publishers Association from 2011 to 2014. He currently serves as Distinguished Visiting Professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), an independent director of Ingram Industries Inc. (Nashville, USA) and CFI Education (Vancouver, Canada), as well as Vice Chair, Educational Testing Service ETS (Princeton, NJ). He is also actively involved in numerous educational, artistic, and charitable organizations, including Princeton University, the Korea-US Science Center KUSCO, and the Ban Ki-Moon Foundation.
About AAP
AAP | The Association of American Publishers represents the leading book, journal, and education publishers in the United States on matters of law and policy, advocating for outcomes that incentivize the publication of creative expression, professional content, and learning solutions. As essential participants in local markets and the global economy, our members invest in and inspire the exchange of ideas, transforming the world we live in one word at a time. Find us online at publishers.org or on Twitter and Instagram at @AmericanPublish.